Derry Area School District

Derry Area School District
Address
982 North Chestnut Street Derry, Pennsylvania, Westmoreland, 15627 United States
Information
Superintendent	Roberta J. McCahan
Grades	K-12
Kindergarten	153
Grade 1	181
Grade 2	146
Grade 3	170
Grade 4	158
Grade 5	203
Grade 6	202
Grade 7	179
Grade 8	205
Grade 9	193
Grade 10	204
Grade 11	215
Grade 12	243
Other	Enrollment is projected to be stable through 2019[1]
Website	http://derryasd.schoolwires.com/derryasd/site/default.asp

The Derry Area School District is one of many school districts under the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The Derry Area School District is located 35 miles east of Pittsburgh, PA. The school district serves the municipalities Derry Township, Derry Borough and the Borough of New Alexandria. The district operates one High School, one Middle School and three Elementary Schools all located in Derry Township.

Elementary schools

There are three elementary schools, all located in Derry Township. They ALL Serve Grades K and 1. Grandview Elementary serves students in Grades 2-5 from all the school's attendance areas. After the 10-11 school year, Loyalhanna Elementary and New Derry Elementary will close. Grandview is currently undergoing renovations to accommodate the increase of students during the 11-12 school year. After the renovations are complete, all students Grades k-5 will go to Grandview Elementary.

School	Address	Telephone #
Grandview Elementary	188 Recreation Rd. Derry, Pennsylvania 15627	[phone]
Loyalhanna Elementary	314 Loyalhanna School Rd. Latrobe, Pennsylvania 15650	[phone]
New Derry Elementary	314 Pittsburgh St. New Derry, Pennsylvania 15671	[phone]

Derry Area Middle / High School

The Derry Area Middle / High School share one complex, near Derry, Pennsylvania.

School Name / Grade Range	Address / Telephone	Administrators
Derry Area Middle School (Grades 6-8)	994 N. Chestnut St. Ext Derry, Pennsylvania 15627 [phone]	Principal: Ms. Cheryl A. Walters Associate Principal: Mr. Jeffrey W. Metzger
Derry Area High School Grades 9-12	988 N. Chestnut St. Ext. Derry, Pennsylvania 15627 [phone]	Principal: Mrs. Kathy L. Perry Associate Principal: Mr. Christopher S. Campbell Dean of Students: Lisa Dubich

Academic achievement

The school district was ranked 42nd out of 105 Western Pennsylvania School Districts in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for: math, reading, writing and 1 year of science.^[2] In 2008, the school ranked 42nd out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts. It was ranked 153rd out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts in 2007.

Graduation Rate:
2009 - 92%^[3]
2008 - 92%
2007 - 92% ^[4]

High school

The high school ranked 44th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2009, for academic achievement as reflected by three years of 11th grade results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science PSSAs.^[5]

PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
2009 - 69% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 - 68%, State - 65%

11th Grade Math:
2009 - 59% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 56% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[6]
2008 - 56%, State - 56%

11th Grade Science:
2009 - 38% on grade level. State: 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 37% ^[7]

College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 18% of the Derry Area School District graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education or community colleges.^[8]

Dual enrollment

The high school offers a Dual Enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.^[9] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.^[10]

For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $3,197 for the program.^[11]

Middle school

In 2009, the 8th grade was ranked 53rd out of 141 western Pennsylvania middle schools based on three years of student academic achievement in PSSAs in: reading, math writing and one year of science.^[12] (Includes schools in: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Westmoreland County, and Washington County

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.^[13]

Athletic Teams

Sport	Boys	Girls
Basketball	Class AAA	Class AAA
Baseball	Class AAA
Cross Country	Class AAA	Class AAA
Football	Class AAA
Golf	Class AAAA	Class AAAA
Soccer	Class AA	Class AAA
Softball		Class AAA
Swimming and Diving	Class AA	Class AA
Tennis		Class AA
Track and Field	Class AAA	Class AAA
Volleyball	Class AA	Class AA
Wrestling	Class AA

Vocational - Technical School

Students in Grades 10-12 in Derry Area have the opportunity to attend the Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center in Derry Township

References

1. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education Enrollment and Projections for Derry Area School District, January 2009
2. ^ Western Pennsylvania School District Rankings, Pittsburgh Business Times, May 15, 2009.
3. ^ Derry Area School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2009
4. ^ Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children - High School Graduation Rates 2007
5. ^ The Rankings: 11th Grades, Pittsburgh Business Times, May 15, 2009
6. ^ 2009 PSSAs: Reading, Math, Writing and Science Results http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/school_assessments/7442
7. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education Report on Science PSSA 2008 August 2008.
8. ^ Pennsylvania College Remediation Report http://www.scribd.com/doc/23970364/Pennsylvania-College-Remediation-Report
9. ^ http://www.scribd.com/doc/24901214/Pennsylvania-Department-of-Education-Dual-Enrollment-Guidelines-2010-2011 Pennsylvania Department of Education - Dual Enrollment Guidelines.
10. ^ Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement. site accessed March 2010. http://www.patrac.org/
11. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education Dual Enrollment Fall Grants 2009-10. August 2009
12. ^ The Rankings: Eighth grade, Pittsburgh Business Times, May 15th, 2009.
13. ^ Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release, November 10, 2005

External links

• Derry Area School District's Website